Grace Poe chats with Papa Jack: ‘Never give up on love’

Papa Jack and Senator Grace Poe. INQUIRER FILE PHOTOS

Far from her usual “serious” self when campaigning, Senator Grace Poe showed her light side and became a “love guru,” at least for a moment, during an interview in a popular love-advice radio program Wednesday night.

Poe gave some advice on matters of the heart in jest to those who have love problems, as well as those who could not find love because they are stuck in traffic, during an interview with Love Radio’s “Papa Jack”, John Gemperle in real life.

“Sa aking mga kababayan na may problema sa pag-ibig, nais kong sabihin sa inyo na makakatagpo rin kayo nang mamahalin kayo. Huwag kayong susuko…” she said over the phone.

(My countrymen who are having a hard time finding love, I would like to tell you that you will find someone who will love you too. Do not give up.)

“At isa pa, kung hindi man kayo magkatagpo sa sobrang traffic e asahan po ninyo gagawin ko ang lahat para bumilis ang daloy ng trapiko at mahanap na ninyo ang inyong soulmate. Hindi, loko lang.”

(One more thing, if your chances of meeting your loved one are delayed by heavy traffic, you can expect me to do everything to improve the traffic situation so you may find your soulmate. Just kidding.)

READ: Poe: ‘Dehumanizing traffic situation’ hurts health, quality of life

Turning serious, Poe, who is running as an independent presidential candidate in May, appealed for support and prayers to listeners of the program.

“Hinihingi ko sa inyo ang inyong sana suporta, panalangin. Babae man ako, meron akong pakiramdam sa mga pinagdadaanan ninyo sapagkat sabi nga ng iba mala-teleserye ang buhay ko pero kung nagawa ko ito, nakaabot ako dito, sana ang ating mga kababayan ay mabigyan din ng pagkakataon na maiparating kung ano man ‘yung mga pangarap nila,” she said.

(I am asking for your support and prayers. I am a woman, and I feel whatever you are going through because as many have said, my life is like a soap opera. But if I have come this far and achieved all these, I wish that our countrymen will also be given the opportunity to realize their dreams.)

Poe said she would like to be a president who listens to the sentiments and problems of the people.

“Gusto ko namang maging isang pangulo na nakikinig dahil wala namang perpekto, hindi din ako perpekto, paano ko malalaman kung ano ang pwede kong gawin sa inyo kung hindi ko rin naririnig ang feedback?”

(I want to be a president who knows how to listen. No one is perfect. I am not perfect. How will I know what I can do for you if I do not listen to your feedback?)

“At minsan kung masyado ka nang kulong sa tinatawag na palasyo , sabi nga ni Gloc-9: ‘Subukan mo namang tumayo para malaman mo ang tunay na kalagayan ko.’ Dapat ganun ang namumuno dahil kung ikaw ay nandun na ay baka amagin na ang pag-iisip mo.”

(And if you become so confined inside the palace, you should, as (rapper) Gloc-9 said, “stand up to know how I am feeling.” That is how a leader should act or his thinking becomes dated.)

Before this, Poe talked about her plans for the country, like faster Internet connections and free tuition for less fortunate students in state universities and colleges.

Asked about what she could do to ease the traffic situation on Edsa, the senator said her long-term solution is to develop the countryside so the people from the provinces don’t have to go to Metro Manila for work.

“Pero kailangan din natin bilisan ang pag-implementa ng mga proyekto katulad niyan. Iyang MRT-7 na iyan, koneksyon mula Trinoma or yung SM hanggang diyan sa San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan. Lampas limang taon na yatang pinaplano iyon o panahon pa ni GMA,” she said, referring to former President and now detained Pampanga representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

(We need to implement projects like the construction of the MRT-7, which would connect Trinoma or SM to San Jose del Monte, Bulacan, faster. It has been in the planning stage for five years already, starting from the administration of GMA.)

READ: Lack of infrastructure also to blame for traffic jams, says Poe

“Sa bagal ng kilos ng gobyerno na mas mabagal pa sa traffic natin (Our government moves slower than the traffic)…” Poe said .

She said railway systems such as the MRT and the LRT should also be built outside Metro Manila, noting that the traffic problem is also now being experienced in other parts of the country like in Cebu, and Cagayan de Oro.

“Ngayon, mayroon din mga pag-aaral na baka naman pwede magkaroon ng subway system. Ibig sabihin ‘yung mga tren sa ilalim para hindi madistorbo ang trapiko,” the senator said.

(Now, there are studies on the feasibility of a subway system so that the traffic on the roads will not be disturbed.)

“Ang problema na sinasabi ng iba: ‘Bakit ka gagawa ng subway system, binabaha sa Pilipinas? Binabaha lalo na sa Metro Manila?’ Ang sagot lang naman diyan ay simple. ‘Yung ibang mga bansa nga ‘yung tren ay lumulusot sa ilalim ng dagat, hindi ba? Nilalagyan nila ng parang tunnel doon. Kung nakakatawid ng dagat ang tren, katulad ng English Channel, bakit hindi pwede din sa atin? Baha lang naman iyan, pwede namang kumuha ng mga engineers na magagaling para ma-design iyan.”

(Others have been asking: “Why build a subway system when the Philippines, especially Metro Manila, is prone to flooding? The answer is simple. In other countries, their trains can pass through seas. They put tunnels under the sea. If trains can pass through bodies of water like the English Channel, why can’t the same happen in our country, when flooding seems to be the only hindrance? We can always hire good engineers to design it.)

“Kaya ko naman sinasabi iyon kasi kung magdagdag pa tayo sa ibabaw, lalo na tayo na-traffic pa. So iyon ‘yung mga iniisip natin na maaaring ambisyoso pero kung hindi naman tayo magpaplano ngayon, papaano na lang? Hanggang diyan na lang ba tayo?” Poe further asked.

(The reason why I am pushing for it is because if we add more elevated railways, they just might add to the traffic. It may be ambitious, but if we do not plan now, what will happen to us? Will we just be contented to what we have now?) IDL